He observed that Nik Aziz was selective in making decisions, especially when it involved his personal interests, and was not firm, inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory on many matters.

"It is clear that the PAS leadership is inconsistent, vague and not transparent at all. To me, it shows a level of weakness in the PAS leadership," he told reporters after chairing the 7th meeting of the National Mineral Council, here, today.

If the truth be told, I have a low tolerance for people who dictate what women should wear, what people should or should not drink and where they can or cannot go.

But I have come to accept that Nik Aziz, the spiritual leader of PAS while eccentric (in my opinion), has one glaring characteristic - he is sincere to a fault.

I have the utmost respect and conviction that this old man is not swayed by money, popularity, pride or even family.

And direction?

Since he has nothing to distract him, his focus is crystal clear and he couldn't be more purposeful in his direction.

The mainstream media has attempted to cloud my opinion of Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat on the issue of his son-in-law's alleged misappropriation of funds. It has failed miserably.

For I am reminded that this man is:

1. Humble enough to admit that he made a mistake in appointing his son-in-law to the position of power.2. Sincere enough to reverse that mistake (at the risk of offending family members).3. Consistent and transparent enough to do what is right without being intimidated by UMNO politicians and the mainstream media, who naturally had a field day with this issue.

Muhyiddin Yassin can call him a "flip-flop". The mainstream media may attempt to ridicule him.

Sunday, 22 November 2009

I watched as the young, barefoot Malaysian boys battled it out in their game of football.

With the exception of a few tufts of grass, some stray, misaligned tiles, and a manhole, it was largely a level playing field. All the boys were about of the same height and build even.

To some, it may look like a bleak situation - the boys lived in a run-down rumah panjang meant to be temporary housing. It was located just on the outskirts of the city that is host to the majestic Petronas Twin Towers.

Their ignorance is bliss.

For alas, when they grow older, they will discover (if they haven't already) that they possess a little but not insignificant impediment: they are of Indian descent.

It is no longer a level playing field.

In this country, there are countless deaths in custody, the majority of them being Indian men.

More recently, 5 Indian men were shot dead by the police - merely under suspicion of being involved in criminal activities.

Helen Ang, in her bold but exceptionally relevant article Why we haven’t thrown that slipper pierces my conscience for being part of the motley crew of Malaysians that does nothing to stop this violation of human rights.

In Malaysia, some dark-skinned men are deliberately made to be less equal than others. Malaysian authorities who shoot to kill do not believe that ‘suspected criminals’ possess any unalienable right to life, never mind the too hopeful “pursuit of happiness”.

Successive BN governments have not addressed the root problem of the Indian community’s chronic socio-economic ills – why the gangsterism and involvement in criminal activities. It’s not just Indians who are neglected with no opportunity for social mobility; the itinerant pirated DVD seller – almost always Chinese – is also on the wrong side of the law.

It's not just the Indian men who suffer and die, but somehow the entire community is affected as well.

In the case of R Surendran, his sister Seetha, overcome by grief, ingested weedkiller and offered it to her 4 children as well. She has since died.

For most of us, we lose our loved ones to old age or they succumb to natural causes. For the Tamil underclass like Seetha, death can visit a male sibling in a hail of bullets or occurring in the police lock-up. This comes about due to the chronic socio-economic deprivation of the community.

So, no, those comfortable armchair critics of Seetha can't even begin to comprehend her anguish and the perennial dark cloud hanging when one is mired in poverty. Her father is a security guard; her husband a lorry driver. Both are low status and low pay jobs.

In other words, the Indian community is finding itself unable to cope.

Seriously, what do we need to open our eyes and that of our fellow Malaysians?

Monday, 16 November 2009

Will Malaysia ever be colour-blind?In Malaysia, a promise to continue a race-based affirmative action policy will only entrench racism

By Nazry Bahrawi

After South Africa and Rwanda's harrowing experiences, it might be expected that no country would want its citizens governed racially lest it be torn asunder. But Malaysia considers itself an exception. Its leaders just gave race-based policies a renewed stamp of approval.

Last month, prime minister Najib Razak vowed to continue an unpopular affirmative action policy that favours the nation's Malays (who make up for slightly more than half of its population) over the Chinese and Indian minorities, who account for about 26% and 8% respectively.

The New Economic Policy (NEP), as this racialised national programme is known, was introduced nearly four decades back to raise the Malays' share of the nation's wealth from a meagre 1.5% to a more equitable 30% and create a Malay middle class. To this end, the government imposed racial quotas in such spheres as education and business.

But it looks like APCO Worldwide may be responsible for successfully duping a lot of Malaysians and possibly some foreigners as well into thinking that Najib Tun Razak is a nice guy.

Najib suddenly has a wonderful image. He appears to be the 'change' that the nation sorely needs.

He shows up with the 1Malaysia concept, claiming to champion equality and unity.

To date, there has been no evidence to suggest that it will actually happen.

and I'm not holding my breath waiting.

And then he claims to abolish racist policies or "dilute the system of ethnic preferences" as the New York Times calls it.

I didn't buy it and none of my friends did either.

Recently, there have been calls by civil initiatives like Anak Bangsa Malaysia to recognise September 16 (Malaysia Day) as significant, since it has generally been ignored by previous administrations.

But Najib swoops in to seize the day by declaring September 16 as a public holiday.

What a kind, reasonable man, you think. But this is the man who couldn't care less about Sabah and Sarawak. Beyond the oil & gas, timber and tourism that those two states provide, that is.

He doesn't stop at that.

Najib steps back and watches the debate between proponents of vernacular and national type schools respectively. And then he walks in and says that the government will maintain vernacular schools as this is what the rakyat want.

BN cannot survive without the divide and conquer rule. They cannot afford to have the Malays, Chinese and Indians thinking alike and feeling contented to be equals.

Once the races start integrating and communicating, they will inevitably unite and give BN a solid kick on its behind.

During the last few UMNO general assemblies, key delegates started waving the keris around while breathing threats. That culminated in a tsunami of disapproval, observed through crushing results during the 2008 General Elections.

APCO Worldwide must probably be dishing out plenty of advice to Najib about refraining from stupid stunts like that.

Friday, 13 November 2009

A court in Malaysia has temporarily dropped the trial of a prominent blogger accused of sedition, because they do not know his whereabouts.

Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who runs the Malaysia Today website, is believed to have gone into hiding, possibly outside of Malaysia.

The trial which began in October last year stems from an article he wrote last year that allegedly implied the involvement of Malaysia's prime minister in the high-profile 2006 murder of a Mongolian woman.

Two policemen were sentenced to death in April for the killing, although the trial never established any motive.

Speaking to the Associated Press on Wednesday, Raja Petra said he would remain in hiding saying he still believes authorities are determined to put him behind bars.

"I think I'll continue from where I am in my attempts to bring down the government," he said from an unknown location.

The 59-year-old blogger has infuriated Malaysian authorities for years by publishing numerous claims of alleged wrongdoing by government leaders.

The government has denounced his allegations as lies.

If convicted of sedition, Raja Petra had faced up to three years in prison.